Float plane technology

Abstract

The invention provides a firefighting float plane having a fuselage and two floats mounted to the fuselage. The fuselage has a water tank with open and closed configurations. In some embodiments, the water tank is integrated into the fuselage, and/or both the water tank and the fuselage have a generally triangular cross-sectional configuration. The water tank has a closed bottom in its closed configuration and an open bottom in its open configuration. In some embodiments, the plane has specified ratio of water tank holding capacity to total power of two engine assemblies. It can optionally also have the above-noted fuselage configuration, tank configuration, or both. In some embodiments, the plane has dual propellers, two engine assemblies, and two tail booms, optionally together with specified ratio of water tank holding capacity to total power of two engine assemblies. It may also have the above-noted fuselage configuration, tank configuration, or both.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A firefighting float plane comprising:
 a fuselage, the fuselage being elongated along a longitudinal axis and having a bottom and a top, the fuselage having a generally triangular cross-sectional configuration, such that the fuselage gradually tapers inwardly from the bottom of the fuselage to the top of the fuselage, and 
 first and second floats, the first and second floats being spaced apart from each other, 
 the float plane including a water tank having closed and open configurations, the water tank when in its closed configuration having a closed bottom, the water tank when in its open configuration having an open bottom, the water tank having a generally triangular cross-sectional configuration, wherein the generally triangular cross-sectional configuration of the fuselage and the generally triangular cross-sectional configuration of the water tank are for cross sections taken in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage, and the fuselage itself defines sidewalls of the water tank. 
 
     
     
       2. The firefighting float plane of  claim 1  wherein the water tank has a top region and a bottom region, the water tank having a greater width at the bottom region than at the top region. 
     
     
       3. The firefighting float plane of  claim 2  wherein the water tank tapers outwardly from the top region to the bottom region. 
     
     
       4. A firefighting float plane comprising:
 a fuselage, the fuselage having a generally triangular cross-sectional configuration, and 
 first and second floats, the first and second floats being spaced apart from each other, 
 the float plane including a water tank having closed and open configurations, the water tank when in its closed configuration having a closed bottom, the water tank when in its open configuration having an open bottom, the water tank having a generally triangular cross-sectional configuration, and 
 the firefighting float plane further comprising: 
 a wing, and 
 first and second pairs of wing struts, the first pair of wing struts extending from a first side of the fuselage to the wing, the second pair of wing struts extending from a second side of the fuselage to the wing, the water tank having a vertical center axis located between the two wing struts of each pair of wing struts. 
 
     
     
       5. The firefighting float plane of  claim 4  wherein the water tank is an integrated part of the fuselage, such that the water tank is defined at least in part by one or more walls of the fuselage. 
     
     
       6. A firefighting float plane comprising:
 a fuselage, 
 first and second propellers, the first propeller being located at a nose of the fuselage, the first propeller facing forward of the firefighting float plane, the second propeller facing rearward of the firefighting float plane, 
 a wing, the wing being located at a higher position than a pilot position of the firefighting float plane so as not to obstruct downward viewing from the pilot position, 
 two tail booms, and 
 first and second floats, the first and second floats being spaced apart from each other and mounted to the fuselage, 
 the fuselage being equipped with a water tank having closed and open configurations, the water tank when in its closed configuration having a closed bottom, the water tank when in its open configuration having an open bottom, 
 wherein the second, rearward-facing propeller is located between the two tail booms, the wing is located at a higher position than a rotation axis of the first, forward-facing propeller but is located at a lower position than a rotation axis of the second, rearward facing propeller. 
 
     
     
       7. The firefighting float plane of  claim 6  wherein the first, forward-facing propeller is coupled to a first engine assembly mounted within the fuselage, and the second, rearward-facing propeller is coupled to a second engine assembly mounted within the fuselage. 
     
     
       8. The firefighting float plane of  claim 6  wherein the first and second floats project longitudinally rearward further than does the fuselage. 
     
     
       9. The firefighting float plane of  claim 7  wherein the first and second engine assemblies have a combined total power in a range of between 2,000 horsepower and 4,000 horsepower. 
     
     
       10. The firefighting float plane of  claim 9  wherein the water tank has a holding capacity of greater than 1,000 gallons. 
     
     
       11. The firefighting float plane of  claim 6  wherein the water tank is aligned longitudinally with the wing. 
     
     
       12. The firefighting float plane of  claim 6  wherein the fuselage and tail booms are formed of a composite material. 
     
     
       13. The firefighting float plane of  claim 12  wherein the composite material comprises fiberglass. 
     
     
       14. The firefighting float plane of  claim 6  further comprising first and second pairs of wing struts, the first pair of wing struts extending from a first side of the fuselage to the wing, the second pair of wing struts extending from a second side of the fuselage to the wing, the water tank having a vertical center axis located between the two wing struts of each pair of wing struts. 
     
     
       15. The firefighting float plane of  claim 6  wherein the first and second floats each comprise a composite material. 
     
     
       16. The firefighting float plane of  claim 6  wherein each of the two tail booms is laterally aligned with and positioned above a respective one of the first and second floats. 
     
     
       17. A firefighting float plane comprising:
 a fuselage, 
 a wing, 
 first and second pairs of wing struts, the first pair of wing struts extending from a first side of the fuselage to the wing, the second pair of wing struts extending from a second side of the fuselage to the wing, and 
 first and second floats, the first and second floats being spaced apart from each other and mounted to the fuselage, 
 the fuselage being equipped with a water tank having closed and open configurations, the water tank having a vertical center axis that is located between the two wing struts of each pair of wing struts, the water tank when in its closed configuration having a closed bottom, the water tank when in its open configuration having an open bottom, and 
 wherein the firefighting float plane has a ratio of holding capacity of the water tank to total engine power of greater than 0.5 gallons/horsepower in combination with the holding capacity of the water tank being greater than 1,000 gallons and the total engine power being less than 4,000 horsepower. 
 
     
     
       18. The firefighting float plane of  claim 17  comprising a first propeller coupled to a first engine assembly and a second propeller coupled to a second engine assembly, wherein the first propeller faces forward of the firefighting float plane while the second propeller faces rearward of the firefighting float plane. 
     
     
       19. The firefighting float plane of  claim 17  wherein the wing of the firefighting float plane has a wing area in a range of from 500 square feet to 900 square feet. 
     
     
       20. The firefighting float plane of  claim 19  wherein the water tank is an integrated part of the fuselage, such that the water tank is defined at least in part by one or more walls of the fuselage. 
     
     
       21. The firefighting float plane of  claim 18  further comprising two tail booms, the second, rearward-facing propeller being located between the two tail booms. 
     
     
       22. The firefighting float plane of  claim 18  wherein a ratio of holding capacity of the water tank to total power of the two engine assemblies is greater than 0.52 gallons/horsepower.